BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 6, Yankees 5 - Bogaerts to the rescue as Sox claim sweep

All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Yankees, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:

BOX SCORE 

HEADLINES

Sox have Cora's back: Before the series began, Brett Gardner, the Yankee with the most seniority, raised some eyebrows by noting that it would be more fun to beat the Red Sox now that Alex Cora was back in the dugout. (Gardner later said he was "halfway joking"). The comment was a none-too-subtle reference to Cora's role in the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, when the Astros edged the Yankees in the ALCS and went on to win the World Series. At the time, the remark didn't exactly seem like bulletin board material, but apparently, the Sox took notice. Xander Bogaerts, the hero of the win, told ESPN postgame that Gardner's comments "kind of got us fueled up.'' Apparently so, as the Red Sox snapped an 11-game losing streak in the Bronx, then added two more wins Saturday and Sunday to claim a sweep of the reeling Yankees. The whole thing is complicated: the Red Sox are reacting to something Gardner said about Boston's manager while he was coaching in Houston. And, of course, there's Cora's role -- reduced at might have been -- in 2018 when the Sox were penalized for using their replay room monitors to relay some signs to players. Still, one thing is clear: no matter the origin of the feud, the Sox thought it necessary to show that they had Cora's back. It was evident when Nathan Eovaldi was pumping 101 mph fastballs to Gardner Friday night, and it was evident in Bogaerts' postgame comments. Bogaerts attempted to downplay the significance of the ill will, but Marwin Gonzalez, who, of course, was a member of the 2017 Houston team, said it was important for the Sox to have Cora's back: "It's really important because of the way he is with us. He has our backs, too. He's the best manager I've played for. He does it (backs) us, so why not do it for him?'' Just in case there was any disagreement on how much Cora has impacted this team.

Bogaerts comes through -- twice: Xander Bogaerts thought he had won the game once already for the Sox with a long sacrifice fly to center, putting the Sox ahead 4-3 in the eighth inning. When that didn't hold up, he came through again, slamming a two-run single in the top of the 10th inning, scoring Christian Vazquez and Bobby Dalbec. "I'm just trying to relax myself in that situation and get a good pitch to hit,'' said Bogaerts. There may be no more confident player on the Sox roster in such spots. Bogaerts is the team's best two-strike hitter, with a calm approach, and that transfers to big spots, too. He doesn't press, and he almost never chases out of the strike zone. He's 6-for-11 getting home runners from third and fewer than two outs, an example of Cora's call for selfless at-bats. And yet, when the Sox need a big hit, he can deliver that, too.

On an off-night, Richards kept game within reach: This was far from the finest hour for Garrett Richards. He barely got through five innings and escaped with a no-decision, needing 95 pitches to get 15 outs. But in direct contrast to a year ago, when a bad start for the 2020 Sox rotation usually involved five or six runs scoring in the first inning and the bullpen being depleted to cover the innings for the remainder of the night, Richards battled and made sure it didn't get out of hand. He had a ton of traffic, allowing 10 baserunners in his five innings of work, but made sure the Yankees never ran off and hid. Three of his five innings featured baserunners galore, but he also stranded six and used the double-play ball to escape bigger jams for himself.

TURNING POINT

Matt Barnes couldn't protect a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, issuing a one-out walk to Aaron Judge and a game-tying double to Gleyber Torres. Torres then stole third and after two outs, the Sox elected to intentionally walk Gary Sanchez. The Yankees had the potential winning run at third base. With pinch-hitter Rougned Odor at the plate and the count full, home plate umpire Gabe Morales rang him up on a pitch that was several inches off the plate. Odor stared down in disbelief, but the Yankee dugout went wild, with coach Phil Nevin coming out to confront Morales, only to be restrained by manager Aaron Boone. There's no telling what would have happened had the Yankees loaded the bases there, but it might have resulted in a very different outcome.

TWO UP

Hunter Renfroe: Renfroe extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double off Aroldis Chapman and also reached base twice with walks.

Marwin Gonzalez: As it's seemingly been for half the lineup, it's been a struggle for Gonzalez of late. But he supplied a huge boost when it was needed the most -- a two-run homer in the seventh to tie the game at 3-3.

TWO DOWN

Matt Barnes: Barnes may have been on fumes, pitching for the third time in the last three days, but he couldn't protect a one-run lead in the ninth for his second blown save of the season, forcing the Sox to go to extra innings.

Kiké Hernandez If you thought that the big double that Hernandez slammed to left field in Saturday night's win, snapping an 0-for-27 skid, was going to turn him around, think again. Hernandez was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

QUOTE OF NOTE: 

"It was a total team effort...We just grind games and we keep playing toward the end. It was a cool game, it was a cool game.'' Alex Cora.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

* The three-game sweep was the first for the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium in 10 years -- almost to the day.

* Alex Verdugo has already exceeded his homer output  -- eight this season; six in 2000 -- from a year ago.

* The Red Sox improved to 3-2 in extra innings this season.

* The save was the first in the big leagues for Phillips Valdez.

* The win was the fifth this season in which the Sox were tied after seven innings.

* Boston improved to 23-1 when scoring six or more runs.

UP NEXT

The Red Sox return home for a homestand, beginning with a makeup game against the Miami Marlins at 5:10. It will be RHP Nick Pivetta (6-1, 3.77) vs. LHP Pablo Lopez (1-3, 2.82)